Method for making carbon/metal composite pretreating the carbon with tetraisopropyltitanate

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a composite material which includes carbon material in a matrix metal by first applying tetraisopropyltitanate to the carbon material so as to wet it, next drying the carbon material which is wetted with the tetraisopropyltitanate, and then combining the carbon material with the matrix metal. This drying may be done by heating up the carbon material which is wetted with the tetraisopropyltitanate to a temperature of 50° C. to 200° C. in the atmosphere. The tetraisopropyltitanate may be dissolved in ethanol when it is being applied to the carbon material. The matrix metal may be a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, aluminum alloy, and magnesium alloy.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for manufacturing a composite material which includes carbon material in a matrix metal, comprising the step of combining said carbon material with said matrix metal, characterized in that before said step of combining said carbon material with said matrix metal, first a step is performed of applying tetraisopropyltitanate to said carbon material so as to wet it, and next a step is performed of drying said carbon material wetted with said tetraisopropyltitanate. 
     
     
       2. A method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 1, wherein, in said step of drying said carbon material wetted with said tetraisopropyltitanate, said carbon material wetted with said tetraisopropyltitanate is heated up to a temperature of 50° C. to 200° C. in the atmosphere. 
     
     
       3. A method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 1, wherein, in said step of applying tetraisopropyltitanate to said carbon material so as to wet it, a solution of tetraisopropyltitanate in an organic solvent is applied to said carbon material. 
     
     
       4. A method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 1, wherein, in said step of applying tetraisopropyltitanate to said carbon material so as to wet it, a solution of tetraisopropyltitanate in ethanol is applied to said carbon material. 
     
     
       5. A method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 3, wherein the concentration of tetraisopropyltitanate in said organic solvent is at least 5% by volume. 
     
     
       6. A method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 3, wherein the concentration of tetraisopropyltitanate in said organic solvent is as least 50% by volume. 
     
     
       7. A method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 4, wherein the concentration of tetraisopropyltitanate in said ethanol is at least 5% by volume. 
     
     
       8. A method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 4, wherein the concentration of tetraisopropyltitanate in said ethanol is at least 50% by volume. 
     
     
       9. A method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 1, wherein, in said step of applying tetraisopropyltitanate to said carbon material so as to wet it, said carbon material is steeped in said tetraisopropyltitanate. 
     
     
       10. A method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 1, said carbon material being in the form of carbon fibers, wherein, in said step of applying tetraisopropyltitanate to said carbon material so as to wet it, said tetraisopropyltitanate is infiltrated into the carbon material by vacuum suction. 
     
     
       11. A method for manufacturing a composite material according to any one of claim 1 through claim 10, wherein said matrix metal is a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, mangesium, aluminum alloy, and magnesium alloy.